Episode
Summer Coolers – Seattle Kraken
- Podcast
- NHL Wraparound Podcast
- Published
- Sep 14, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 381
- Processing state
not_requested
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Summary
Summer Coolers – Seattle Kraken The Seattle Kraken enter 2026-27 facing serious questions about the direction of the franchise. Seattle finished with just 79 points and missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season—and for the fourth time in five years since entering the NHL. Neil Smith and Vic Morren believe the early success of the Vegas Golden Knights created expectations Seattle has never been able to match. Even more concerning, high-end players appear unwilling to choose Seattle, while the Kraken have done little to pivot when those pursuits fail. IN THIS EPISODE: [00:00:00] Seattle finishes sixth with 79 points and misses the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third consecutive season. [00:00:25] The Kraken have reached the postseason only once in five seasons, advancing to Game 7 of the second round in 2023. [00:00:45] Vic believes Vegas’ immediate expansion success created an unrealistic comparison for Seattle and raised expectations the Kraken have never approached. [00:01:00] Neil is surprised Seattle has struggled to attract free agents because he views the city as a tremendous hockey destination with an outstanding arena. [00:01:30] Despite those advantages, Neil says he does not like what he sees from Seattle heading into this season. [00:01:50] Vic compares Seattle’s inactivity to Calgary’s previous offseason, when the Flames did almost nothing despite needing improvement. [00:02:00] Seattle’s lone trade addition is Mackie Samoskevich from Florida for a 2026 first-round pick and conditional 2027 second. [00:02:25] Goaltender Viktor Östman re-signs, while captain Jordan Eberle and Bobby McMann also remain with the Kraken. [00:02:45] Curtis Douglas arrives from Vancouver as a bottom-six forward, representing Seattle’s only notable outside UFA addition. [0…